Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1887-08-06
A DIsCOURAGED INVENTOR.
An idea which Hundreds OF Other
Had Conceived Before His Day.


he had evidently been sitting In the shade
watching the horse cars 60 by. Perhaps be lived
along line OF street cars. At any rate, he had
idea--a mechanical idea, at that He was not
familiar with tools, knew nothing Of machinery,
and had never invented anything. Yet It had oc-
Cured to him that something could be devised
20 lessen the dead weight Of the Car when
1t Is about to be started after . stop.
Why he should happen to have such
an idea, and how 1t was possible that his mind
should begin to explore the unfamiliar field OF
mechanical contrivances is n rather difficult Ques-
all this happened He saw the horses straining
ana pulling 70 start the car. and then move along
with comparative ease: How could this strain De
over 1t for some time. and the idea began 70 take
shape. In q few days he met friend who was
made it necessary Tor him to know a great deal
about mechanical devices He explained what he
had been thinking about, and asked his judgment
he said, Ia talking OF his idea, III think that the
dlfieulty about starting car could be remeded
in this way: or course don't know exactly how
IL could be arranged, that is, the mechanical part
or II. But suppose you had q strong spring at
tached TO the wheels In some way, and when the
great force, which would be communicated to the
wheels. 1t might not be OF Sufficient power to
move the car but 1t would greatly lessen the dead
weight. and consequently the strain on the horse.
II would have to get some practical man to get
this lining into shape for me, he went on, 'but 1t
seems 10 lne 70 nave considerable merit. The
h0r5ecar companies would all adopt 1t II it proved
to be OF any value. and think that there is good
deal OF money In It; dOpt your"
"Well. don't know, /" responded his friend in a
tone OF voice that Indicated that he had not been
able as yet to fully grasp the extent Of the pro-
1ect. III remember correctly" he added, 'and
think that do, there are now about q hundred
patents already granted for devices OF this charac
ter You can lind them all in the Patent ONCE
II you are interested enough in the subject to go
and look at them"
''Why, never heard OF such q thing before, I"
said the prospective inventor, considerably taken
back
Certainly not" cheerfully assented his friend;
mo one ever supposed that you had. You have
only thought the same thought that two or three
other men, and perhaps more, had thought before
you. 1t is common experience, and every day
some patent is rejected at the Patent Office be-
cause IL is repetition OF idea already patented
People have to go TO great expense merely to learn
whether ideas that have just occurred to them are
new or Old. You might continue your study OF
street-car methods and probably invent some
thing that would prove relief TO the public as
well us to the horses The attention OF In ventors
has been directed toward the latter subject more
than the former, and you are not SO likely to An
wade the field OF patented rights. Besides, there
Is chance OF having whole community rise up
and call you benefactOr."